Los Angeles, Sep 16 (IANS): The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched the Monkeypox Vaccine Equity Pilot programme to support innovative, non-traditional ways to address disparities in monkeypox vaccination, said the US health agency.

Starting from Thursday, local, state, and territorial health departments, as well as tribal governments and local non-governmental organisations, can partner together and begin submitting requests to access monkeypox vaccine through the programme, Xinhua news agency reported.

This new pilot programme is intended to reach population that may face barriers to monkeypox vaccination, which may include differences in language, location of vaccination sites, vaccine hesitancy, mistrust of government, lack of access to on-line scheduling technology, disability issues, immigration status and stigma, the CDC added on Thursday.

"We have a responsibility to address inequities that have been highlighted by this outbreak, and this programme will help make a difference," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

Up to 50,000 doses of JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine have been allocated for the Monkeypox Vaccine Equity Pilot programme, according to the health agency.

As of Wednesday, a total of 22,774 monkeypox cases had been confirmed in the US, according to the latest CDC data.